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The QuillMarch 2021:Monadnock Writers’ GroupSupporting Writers Since 1984The Monadnock Writers’ Group is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.Mail PO Box 3071, Peterborough, NH 03458Website – http://www.monadnockwriters.org/Facebook - -mailmonadnockwriters@gmail.comGeneral Monthly Meetings of MWGThe Monadnock Writers’ Group will meet on the third Saturday of each month through June 2021. Ourmeetings begin at 9:45 and continue to about 11:45. In respect for public health guidelines, these meetingsare being held online for now, but our full monthly program will be included, such as regionalannouncements of events for writers, a ten-minute reading from a member, and a main speaker sharingprofessional writing experience and answering our questions. The Speaker Series is open to the publicand free of charge. Our speakers are instructive and inspirational for writers of all literary forms, genres,and levels of experience.The meetings can be followed via Zoom by connectingath ps://us02web.zoom.us/j/86162106433?pwd cWRHV1NjNi9HQVU5QWhFSyt1UnlqQT09Follow the prompts to join with audio and join with video. You can also participate by telephoneby calling 1 (646) 558-8656. Use the meeting ID: 861 6210 6433 and passcode: 744422.March 7The Poetry Society of New HampshireThe Poetry Society of New Hampshire's virtual Down Cellar Poetry Salon will feature Smoky Quartz, theonline journal of literature and art published by the Monadnock Writers’ Group, on Sunday, March 7 at1:00. Three MWG poets with deep roots in New Hampshire (Denny Caldwell, Maura MacNeil andRodger Martin), who have published in Smoky Quartz as well as many other books and periodicals,will share and discuss their poetry, looking at our New England point of view as well as other aspectsinfluencing their writing. The Smoky Quartz editors will share tips on getting published. To get theZoom link and further information on the event or the Society, go toh ry/a end-a-mee ng-or-reading/titttttt8

March 20Amy MacDonaldAmy MacDonald is the author of fifteen books for elementary andmiddle-school aged children. These books have won worldwide acclaim:translated into 28 languages, they’ve topped the “Best Children’s Book” lists inthree countries, been listed on a dozen state Children’s Choice Award lists, andwon or been short-listed for many major awards.She has also worked as an editor and a freelance writer, in the United States,France and England. Her non-fiction has appeared in the New Yorker,the Times (London), and many magazines. Her documentary film, “On ThisIsland”, about the role of arts in Maine’s smallest, island school, earned a NewEngland Emmy nomination and was screened on national television.Amy has taught creative writing and non-fiction to all ages, from kindergarten to students at University ofMaine at Farmington, the Stonecoast Writers Conference, and Harvard University.April 17Marit WeisenbergMarit Weisenberg recently followed the first two books in hersuccessful science fiction series (Select and Select Few) with a mysteriousnovel about teenage love (The Insomniacs).She has a master's degree from UCLA in Cinema and Media Studies andworked as a film and television executive for a number of years. Shecurrently lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two daughters.May 15Publishers’ PanelT h r e epublishers of MWG writers (Hobblebush,Bauhan and Khotso) will describe what they need from writers to get their workpublished and will bring out some of the different approaches that fit particular writers. You will have achance to bring your questions to gain from their experience.8

June 19Read-AroundAt the June event, members of the Monadnock Writers’ Group will read excerpts of their own work up toten minutes each. Every year this is an inspirational opportunity to enjoy the creative talents of ourmembers. This intriguing visit with fellow writers will be online via Zoom at the usual link for monthlymeetings. The public is welcome to attend.Our Winners in February!George Duncan Essay Contest: The Monadnock Writers’Group sponsored a high school essay contest to honor thememory of George Duncan. George was an award-winning marketingcopywriter and author, and an avid writer of political commentary. He served as President of theMonadnock Writers’ Group (MWG) and was a long-time board member.Submissions were open until February 1, 2021, to write apersuasive, fact-based analysis of a current political issue in acivil tone using 500-800 words. In addition to winning a 100prize, the winning essay will be read at a MWG monthly meetingand may be published in local newspapers. We plan to hold thesponsor the event again next year.The 2021 winner of the George Duncan Essay Contest is Plastics: Their Rise and Fall from Favor byDavina T. Sienkiewicz, a senior at High Mowing School in Wilton.Three-Minute Fiction for 2021: The Peterborough round of the New Hampshire annual flashfiction contest was held on February 6. It seems that every year the readings are better so this year westarted to give prizes to the first three places. In case you missed the event, enjoy the entry Café Dramaby Ronnie McIntire at the end of thismonth’s Quill. The New Hampshire finalsare not yet scheduled but will beannounced by the New Hampshire WritersProject.Peterborough Round1stPlace: A Rose by Any Other Nameby Deni Dickler2nd Place: Story Birdby Grace Marie Johnsonrd3 Place: Social Distanceby Sue Ellen Snape8

Writing OpportunitiesGet Your Creative Work into Smoky Quartz: Published by the Monadnock Writers’Group, Smoky Quartz is an online journal of literature and art, named after New Hampshire’s state gem.See the Fall 2020 issue at https://smokyquartz.org .Smoky Quartz is accepting submissions for the Fall 2021Issue. We publish poetry, short fiction, short nonfiction,creative nonfiction (including, personal essay, short memoir,and hybrid prose, which can integrate poetry, dialogue, andimages), art, and photography.We welcome submissions from new, emerging, andestablished writers and artists with ties to New Hampshire.Please send us your best work! Note: we now accept prosepieces up to 3000 words. Visit our website for completeguidelines and to submit your work:w w w. s m o k y q u a r t z . o r g / s u b m i s s i o n sPhotograph by Jesseca TimmonsThe May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize: Bauhan Publishing offers an annualpoetry contest in honor of New Hampshire poet May Sarton to encourage both new and experienced poetsfrom anywhere in the world to submit their poetry in a previously unpublished collection. Your collectioncould potentially win 1,000 and publication through their company so that global readership can enjoyyour words!2020 marked the tenth year of the annual May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize contest. Bauhan hashad the honor of working with a range of talented judges and poets to produce beautiful poetrycollections.Click on the prize link below for more information on the contest, to find out how to enter, and to view theprevious winners published collections! https://bauhanpublishing.com/contests/Cosmic Poetry: The Peterborough Poetry Projectis sponsoring a contest for the best poems about thecosmos. One poem per person may be submitted andonly unpublished poems are eligible. Poets with poemschosen as the best three will receive cash prizes (topprize 75). Poems will be considered for inclusion in asecond edition of the recent book: We Are Stardust: the universe in verse. The maximum poem length is44 lines.The submission deadline is May 13, 2021.See full details athttps://peterboroughpoetryproject.org/contestsA Poetry Challenge: The Creative Hub issued a call for poetry submissions concerned withthe climate emergency, the current crisis and possible aftermaths. They are looking for poetrythat is inspiring, meaningful and original, and that reflects the principles, concerns and values ofthe Extinction Rebellion from a global, regional or local perspective. See details at: https://xrcreative.org/poetry-submissions/8

A Unique Invitation for Poets: WRITING THE LAND is a collaborative project between localland trusts and artists to help raise awareness for the preservation of land, ecosystems, and biodiversityWith support of our partnered land trusts we help coordinate poets to “adopt” a conserved property,partnering them with that respective land trust for the calendar year. Poets will visit these adoptedproperties and then create poems inspired by the land. Because our current times restrict in-personevents this project emphasizes the importance of individual connection to the land and will include eventsharing experiences of poets reading on behalf of the land—inspiring others to visit or donate toward theprotection of these farms, ecosystems, habitats, sanctuaries, and wilderness preserves.Writing the Land is an attempt to honor nature and our relationship with it in a way that is as equitableand transparent as it is deep and entangled. As poets and advocates, we declare our intention that thescope of this project be as inclusive—to humans and places—as we hope the mantle of protection that landtrusts offer can be. Our work in writing the land will never be complete but rather gains strength, depth,beauty, and energy from a multitude of voices.Poets who create work for Writing the Land poets are agreeing to give our project First North AmericanSerial Rights to publish the work online as well as potentially in an annual anthology. All rights revertback to the author upon publication. We ask acknowledgment if the author chooses to republish anyaccepted pieces. Further details are available at: https://www.writingtheland.org/poetsMWG AnnouncementsTimely Books from MWG: The newest anthologies from MWG provide different orientations tothe spring of 2021.The Mud Chronicles: Experience of our “fifth season” highlightsthis anthology, showing how much landscape and seasonal cues matter toour contributors. Plus, beings of metaphor that we are, the fifth seasonreminds us of emotional transitions, of times that don’t fit smoothly inthe unfolding of a life, that mark a shift in who we were and who we willbecome.Copies at a discounted price are available for pick up in Peterborough.For details contact: monadnockwriters@gmail.comPenning the Pandemic: The creative writing in this volume shares theshock, the anguish, the courage, and the resilience of humanity in extraordinarytimes. After science and politics have had their say, art is left to record what thesurvivors felt and what they learned at heart.It is available at the Toadstool in Peterborough and for order from any other onlineor brick-and-mortar retail bookseller. Copies at a discounted price are availablefor pick up in Peterborough. For details contact: monadnockwriters@gmail.comPoetry Is the Shortest Distance between Two Humans.- Lawrence Ferlinghetti8